I am not a morning person. I am, however, a card-carrying member of the Peter Coleman-Wright fan club, which is how it came to pass that on my last full day on London — with a late night of Wagner and of post-Wagner revels ahead of me — I dragged myself out of bed several hours ahead of schedule in order to be at the final dress rehearsal of the English National Opera’s production of Detlev Glanert’s opera Caligula. But anyway, who was I to complain? I only had to sit back and listen; the cast had to sing a seriously demanding opera at 10am — and sing it they most certainly did. The opera, which premiered in 2006, is based on a play by Albert Camus. It’s a disturbing trip into the mind of a burgeoning tyrant: Caligula, stricken with grief at the death of his sister (and lover…but somehow their incest is far less picturesque than Siegmund and Sieglinde) Drusilla, turns into, well, the Caligula we all know and love to detest. Raping, pillaging, murdering and so on, all the while haunted by his sister and his own continuing struggle with the notions of freedom and of happiness….

Before looking at the actual selection process, it’s important to consider why we need to make a selection at all. As each Steinway & Sons piano is hand-crafted, they each have their own unique identity, with subtle differences in feel and tone. Due to the differences in each piano, we are able to select the instruments based on their intended use; for example, the characteristics of a piano destined for a large concert hall would be different from those required for a smaller, more intimate venue. Different acoustic environments will represent each piano in a unique way. For the Sydney International Piano Competition, there were some considerations that we needed to take into account. The competitors don’t get time to really practise and familiarise themselves with the instrument; rather, they just have to be ready to jump in and play their best. Also, as you could imagine, the competitors can be quite nervous by the time they get to playing the pianos, so it’s important to have an instrument that is instantly comfortable for them to play, and can easily deliver a big sound, with a large dynamic range. Selecting the pianos with Alexander Gavrylyuk was a real pleasure. Alexander…

They say it takes 10,000 hours of dedicated work to become an expert. I would argue that many classical musicians bring this level of commitment to their craft before they even begin university studies. For the majority, studying music at university is an opportunity to refine skills, immerse oneself in rigorous practice schemes and transform from being “that kid who played music at school” to being a musician with creative vision, ideas and the skills to make a difference in the community. Integral to this stage of developing a young musician’s career is their instrumental teacher – someone who provides inspiration, guidance, musical expertise and often an approach to performing that has been handed down from one generation to the next.   It was with great sadness that I read this morning on a flight from London about the severe cuts the Australian National University is making to its revered School of Music. Flying in the face of logic, a decision to remove one-on-one tuition seems to me to be taking away the most essential and important aspect of a classical musician’s training. It’s not unlike removing the practical component in the training of a surgeon. A decision of this…

For a small seaside town with a population of no more than 3,000, there’s an unusual buzz in the air in Aldeburgh. Once home to the legendary English composer Benjamin Britten, Aldeburgh and nearby Snape are annual hosts for the renowned Aldeburgh Festival and Britten-Pears Young Artist Programs. But this year marks an exciting new project which will see the world sharpen its focus on England like never before. I’m not just talking about the Olympics though; rather the 2012 London Festival and Cultural Olympiad, for which Aldeburgh is playing host to a new world orchestra.  124 young musicians from across the globe will come together in July, led by acclaimed conductor Sir Mark Elder in a thrilling program of Britten, Mahler, Shostakovich and Stravinsky. Performances will take place in a number of European locations including the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and Ingolstadt’s Audi Festival, culminating in a final performance in London at Royal Albert Hall.  This past week I’ve been fortunate to get a glimpse into this exciting project as a member of the Britten-Pears Orchestra. A steady stream of media has filtered through the small town of Aldeburgh to catch a glimpse of rehearsals and a 40-piece contingent of the…

View exclusive photos here. It’s been an unusual morning. Unusual for the water taxi driver, who probably doesn’t get “follow that barge!” fares very often. Unusual for the photographers jostling one another on deck, who are probably more used to issuing directions like “give me poutier lips” than “hold the boat straight” and “put her on her bow so she’s coming at us with the Opera House behind her”. And an unusual sight to behold on Sydney Harbour: a gargantuan 9m-high chandelier, its 10,000 Swarovski crystal elements glinting in the weak early morning sun as it was ferried underneath the Harbour Bridge to its resting place at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. There, it will be the centerpiece of Opera Australia’s outdoor La Traviata extravaganza, suspended in mid-air by a crane sitting on its own barge next to the main stage. “Then,” says one female publicist wistfully, “I think we have to give all the crystals back.” Meanwhile, the other publicist is having harsh words with the weather. She raises her arms to the heavens in frustration: we need skies of brilliant azure, not limp grey clouds, to set off the Swarovski sparkle and trigger the inevitable oohing and ahhhing. “Can we…

An alumnus of San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program and Adler Fellowship, Joshua Bloom is a firm favourite among Australian audiences – and also one of our brightest overseas talents. I asked him about the show, his ever starrier career, and how he manages to divide himself between Australia and the Big Wide Operatic World. Joshua Bloom (Figaro) and Taryn Fiebig (Susanna) (Photo: Branco Gaica/Opera Australia) You previously sang Figaro for Opera Australia in Neil Armfield’s production. How different has the experience with this new production been? The two productions could not be more dissimilar. While I have worked with Neil in the past and he is a wonderful director and terrific colleague, he was not available to revive his Figaro when I performed in it in 2007. So doing a new production with Benedict Andrews has been a completely different experience. Aesthetically Benedict’s production is starker, and it is darker in mood than Neil’s. The rehearsal process was quite intense and challenging too, but also rewarding. Audiences seem to be responding to the new production with great enthusiasm. Having sung Mozart in both Italian and English, what do you think are the challenges – and advantages – of singing in…

Baritone Michael Lewis is one of Australia’s favourite singers and one of its most distinguished international artists. He’s particularly acclaimed as one of that rare and glorious breed, the genuine Verdi baritone, with twelve – count ’em, twelve – of that composer’s operas to his name. But right now he’s in Sydney singing a rather different signature role: Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, in Benedict Andrews’s much anticipated and very contemporary production (read Limelight’s review here). I managed to corner Michael with a few questions about this thoroughly modern Figaro. Michael Lewis as Count Almaviva Without giving any secrets away, can you tell us a bit about Benedict Andrews’ production? How have Count Almaviva and the concept of droit du seigneur been adapted to a modern setting? As the reviews are in, and most of the issues peculiar to this new production have been freely discussed, I can say that in essence, the droit du seigneur, has been largely ignored. Yes, we refer to it in the text, but we play with the inevitability of a man wielding absolute power, to have what he wants at any time. The environment of the setting highlights the emotional and sexual tensions that exist across the social layers…

Warm weather, great restaurants, friendly people, a man-made lagoon, the fantastic Queensland Pops Orchestra… Talk about an advertisement for Brisbane! We had a fabulous time giving a masterclass to some local ensembles (including the Birili Blokes) and finishing our Australian leg of the tour in style. We even managed to squeeze in Land of Hope and Glory as an encore, complete with flag-waving and whatnot… You would’ve forgiven anyone for thinking they were at a Last Night of The Proms concert! With conductor Barrie Gott at the helm we were in good hands, and I hope Brisvegas music lovers keep supporting the terrific group of musicians at the Queensland Pops Orchestra. As I mentioned in my first blog, I distinctly remember the aerial view of the Southern Alps as I left the land of the long white cloud back in June 2010. Upon re-entry to New Zealand for The King’s Singers concerts here, I was greeted by a lovely Auckland day across the Waitakere Ranges and all the little inlets and bays that dot the Manukau Harbour. It was a really special feeling and I couldn’t wait to be surrounded by people that really knew how to pronounce English! We…

A very personal story from a 21st-century troubadour.

As I write this, sitting on a plane from Adelaide to Melbourne, I can recall the last time I was in this part of the world. I left New Zealand on a beautiful winter’s afternoon in June 2010 and I can vividly picture flying over the Southern Alps with the sun setting on the white peaks. I remember thinking how much I was going to miss New Zealand, but that I’d be back one day… Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine it’d be so soon, on tour with The King’s Singers! We left England a week ago and after a few quasi-chilled-out days in Sydney with time to shake off the jet lag and enjoy the restaurants on Darling Harbour, we had a busy day of media appointments with local and national radio stations and newspapers. As the only member of the group who has been to Australia before, I’ve enjoyed reacquainting myself with the city – Circular Quay with its fantastic Eastbank restaurant is always a good place to go. The others have been jogging around Darling Harbour and along to the Opera House, exploring Bondi Beach, cafés and eateries… And basking in the non-snowy weather! We…

I’ve been in Banff, Canada now for a week undertaking a solo creative residency focusing on Bach’s Sixth Cello Suite. The Banff Centre is situated in a beautiful national park surrounded by the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the ideal environment in which to immerse myself in music. Winter in Banff is something quite special. Although it has been rather warm by Canadian standards, we are now reaching temperatures of about minus 20 degrees Celsius. A thick blanket of snow covers the mountainous landscape dotted with pine trees, and the occasional deer and elk roam around the campus. In contrast to the pristine stillness outside, inside the centre is buzzing with activity. Artists from all over the world are here in fields as diverse as puppetry and poetry. Such an eclectic mix of creative people makes for stimulating mealtime conversations. Devoting so much thought and time to the Sixth Cello Suite has been a real delight, both challenging and fulfilling. This weekend I perform the first three movements in Canmore, a town south-east of Banff. The Sixth Suite was certainly written for the “violoncello” but not the violoncello as we know it today. The words “a cinq cordes” are written on Anna Magdalena Bach’s transcription…

A couple of nights ago I posted a request on Twitter for names of “rising young/youngish Australian opera singers” currently enjoying overseas success. Not to diminish the magnificence of our many Australia-based artists, of course, whom I love to distraction; but I was curious to take stock of the many up-and-coming singers making their mark overseas – especially as, although I knew some of their names, I was sure there would be plenty I’d missed. The response was fantastic, from both Australian and international Twitterers alike, and I soon had a pile of names. So in honour of the day, I thought it would be nice to highlight some of these fabulous young Australian singers taking the operatic world by storm – from those making their first international forays, to those very much on the rise, to those who have in fact now risen. It’s not a comprehensive guide by any means, but it should be enough to warm your heart! At the beginning of the alphabet is Rachel Bate, who, as winner of Opera Foundation Australia’s 2011 German Opera Grant, received a yearlong contract at Oper Köln. Last year she performed there in the children’s opera Die feuerrote Friederike; in…